Broadcasts For

Natives

Plans in Samoa and New Guinea

IT would appear that the Administra tions in the South Pacific are going to make increasing use of radio in communicating with the natives in their charge.

Colonel F. W. Voelcker, Administrator of Western Samoa, has completed arrangements for an installation in Apia, by which he may make a daily broad cast to his Samoan people. He has ord

ered, for early delivery in Samoa, about 150 receiving sets. These are to be distri buted throughout the villages of Samoa, one in charge of each head man. There will not be enough to go around—there are about 180 villages in Western Samoa.

However, 150 receiving sets will give the plan a good start. The receiving sets are built on one fixed wavelength—the villages will not be able to switch on to' any station other than that transmitting the Government’s messages from Apia.

A similar plan is being put into oper ation by the combined Administration of Papua-New Guinea. It is reported that about £40,000 of funds provided by Aus tralia has been earmarked for a broad casting station at Port Moresby through which the Administration will communi cate with receiving sets in selected vil lages in Papua and New Guinea. Natives are to be trained, as technicians, to take care of the installation. It is not known whether the Samoan plan of a fixed wavelength is being followed. It should be—otherwise the natives may be found listening to Australian racecourse broad casts at a time when they should be list ening to words of wisdom from Port Moresby.